Natural stone is cold or warm. Types, titles and colors of precious stones for jewelry and jewelry: list, short description with photos. How to distinguish a natural real stone from fake, from glass in jewelry

"I actually believe that American gentlemen is the best of all, because when you kiss your hand, you can feel something very, very good, but unlike kisses diamonds and sapphire bracelets eternal."

Anita Lus, "Gentlemen prefer blondes", 1925

What makes the stone precious? Experts allocate whole line criteria, external and internal signs, among them beauty, rarity (singleness), wear resistance (strength, hardness). In the world of fashion, they say that the talented model should not be perfectly beautiful, its beauty is just in the "deformity" - unusualness and dissimilar to others. Similarly, the situation is also with precious stones: in nature, it is rare to meet the deductible and impeccable purity of precious stones, so if such samples come across, they reach very high costs in the market. Synthetic stones, in turn, have better quality characteristics, but they are cheaper in the ranks.

Internal features of stones (inclusion, zonality or distribution of color, growth microstructure) also help install a natural stone or artificially grown. For more detailed observation, it is recommended to use a magnifying glass or microscope.

I will give a few most commonly found in the jewelry of precious stones and some ways to identify them (Brilliant, Ruby, Sapphire, Aquamarine, Emerald, Granat).

Brilliant (diamond)

P conspicitably natural if:

It has visible inclusions of minerals;

Almost all the light, entering the surface of the stone, is reflected, as from thousands of mirrors, from its lower edges. Consequently, if you look at the light through a diamond, you can only see the glowing point, and if you wear a ring with a diamond, then the stone will not shine (see the finger through the diamond is impossible);

Hydrochloric acid does not scare it;

By virtue of its physical properties, leaves scratches on polished surfaces of other stones and on glass, which do not disappear, even if we wipe them with a wet cloth. Therefore, for tests, choose the surfaces that are not sorry;

In iodide methylene or single-breasted mono-container (solutions with a refractive index close to spinel and sapphire), the stone does not disappear, but brightly glitter. Accordingly, the diamond substitutes in the form of spinel and sapphire will not be visible in solution. A similar (slightly less distinct) result has a immersion of stones into an aqueous solution of glycerol;

Use an old smuggler method. The diamond is lowered into the water, if it is natural, it will not be visible in clean water;

Synthetic stone if:

It includes the inclusion of metals (iron, nickel, manganese);

Characterized by the uneven zonal-sector distribution of fluorescence ( the glow of the substance resulting from its lighting and quickly decaying after termination) In ultraviolet light. Often there are cruciform figures of UV fluorescence. For the verification method, a special device is needed.

IN as a diamond imitation Using rhinestones, crystal glass, plastic, colorless zircon, strontium titanium; Synthetic rut, colorless spinel, colorless sapphire, so on. Some fakes are easy to distinguish with the eye:

They do not have such brightness and luminescence as natural and even synthetic diamond;

Older from time (the edges are erased, the shine becomes dull).

For complex cases The definitions of the origin of diamonds are used by the following methods: color and spectral codoluminescence, spectroscopy in the visible and infrared region, luminescent spectroscopy, etc.

Corundum (Rubin, Sapphire)

Ruby rather natural origin if:

It is not very large. In nature, large-sized rubies are rare;

There are internal defects;

If there are bubbles in the internal structure of the stone, then they often are the same color as the stone;

With increasing, needed ear-shaped inclusions;

The stone has a high strength (second after diamond), leaves scratches on surfaces with a lower strength indicator;

There is no clearer, it is almost impossible to break it;

With bright light, the color of the ruby \u200b\u200bbecomes darker;

It may have cracks of a zigzag form, without radiance.

It has the appropriate certificate and indecent expensive.

Ruby synthetic, if:

Has a pronounced perfect form;

There is a curvilinear zonality;

There are inclusions of gas bubbles;

It is characterized by a very strong red UV fluorescence, if on the stone to send UV light, synthetic ruby \u200b\u200bwill become orange;

With a detailed consideration with a magnifying glass or microscope in stones grown by hydrothermal or flux method, there are voids of crucibles (platinum, gold, copper) or flux;

There are irregular growth microstructures (with hydrothermal synthesis);

It has a crack of the right (straight) form, with shine.

Sapphire

Presumably natural if:

Presented in different colors and shades (colorless, black, yellow, orange, purple, etc., the most valuable - blue), the effect of milk fog is traced on the stone - white glare (at the Kashmir sapphire, especially);

Kashmir Sapphire does not change color with artificial light, is considered a reference sapphire;

It is characterized by zonal coloring;

There are inclusions from rutile (needle fibers, when crossing the forming angle of 60 degrees), which are visible under the magnifying glass;

There are inclusions from the zircon (feature of stones of Ceylon origin);

With the light of the electric lamp, the stone acquires a purple shade. This indicates the presence of chromium and again indicates Ceylon origin;

With artificial lights may seem black (Australian sapphires);

There is a grayish metal shine (this indicates the American origin of the stone);

There are internal defects;

- The stone has high strength, leaves scratches on surfaces with a lower strength indicator;

It has a quality certificate and is very expensive.

Corundum Removing "Fire Signs" from heat treatment, contrasting zonal coloring and other signs.

Tanzanit (visible reddish tint), spinel, aquamarine (visible greenish tint), indigolite may seem sappographs, but they are easily identified using a refractometer (device for measuring the refraction of light), as well as in some cases.

Sapphire synthetic if:

The view is more beautiful than natural, there are no natural inclusions, impurities, gas bubbles, curved painting lines;

Under ultraviolet rays, the stone acquires a green shade (speaks of the presence of titanium);

There are impurities of gold, copper, platinum.

Sapphire simulation Move from plastic, rhinestones (glasses), so on. If everything with the listed materials is understandable - their origin is usually determined by the eye, then compile stones can deliver difficulties. Compositive stone (doublet, triplet) consists of several parts. In the top often placed natural stone to which the imitation similar to color is glued. In a closed frame, it is rather difficult to identify the fake, even with the use of a refractometer, but if you consider pebbles into the profile, under magnification and with bright lighting, then the spike of compulsive stone can be clearly revealed. In addition, usually natural insertion and imitation differ in color.

Beryl (Aquamarine, Emerald)

Aquamarine natural origin ifwhen touching it, the tongue is felt cold. All imitations of this stone to the touch seem warmer. Synthetic aquamarine is not grown yet, all fakes under Aquamarine is either spinel, or glass.

Emerald natural, if:

- it is transparent and has a uniformly distributed rich color from yellow-green to blue-green;

- Almost always on the stone there are splits and cracks;

- An appropriate document is attached to it and a high price has been established.

Synthetic stone if:

- has a rich bluish-green color;

- when increasing, the twisted veils are observed;

- There are inclusions (tubular, brownish - oxides Fe);

You can rather quickly identify most precious and semi precious stones According to their basic characteristics, such as color and weight (density). However, for more accurate pattern recognition, you will need special devices, allowing to investigate the internal structure of the mineral.

Steps

Follow the characteristics of the precious stones

Part 1

Inspect the stone surface. If it is rude and rough, this stone does not apply to precious.

Check if the stone is deformed. If the stone is easily deformed, for example, as a result of a mumbled hammer, compression, bending, is likely to be a metal ore, and not a gem mineral.

• Gemstones have a crystal structure. The outer shape of the stone can be changed by cutting it, splitting or grinding, but for each mineral there is a set of crystalline faces that cannot be changed by simple pressure.

1. Some materials resemble precious stones, not as they actually. For example, pearls and fossil wood can be mistaken for precious stones, but they are not those in the strict sense of the word.

2. Determine whether the stone is artificial. Artificial (or synthetic) stones have the same structure, chemical composition and physical properties, like their natural analogues, but they are not mined, but are produced in laboratory conditions. As a rule, artificial stone can be distinguished from natural, comparing several characteristics.

   • Inside artificial stones are often observed non-smooth, but curved steps (surfaces) of growth.
   • Often in the stones of artificial origin there are spherical gas bubbles, located in the form of chains, but be careful, since sometimes gas bubbles come across in natural stones.
   • On the surface of artificial stones can remain thin plates of platinum or gold.
   • In artificial stones, needle, V-shaped and filamentous inclusions are often found, as well as a columnal internal structure.

3. Beware of fakes. The fake stone at first glance looks the same as natural, but it is made of a completely different material. Fake precious stones can have both natural and artificial origin, and there are several enough effective methodsTo distinguish them from real stones.

   • The surface of the fake stone can be uneven and covered with pits like orange peel.
   • On some fake stones wavy and spiral traces are noticeable.
   • Inside unreal stones are often observed quite large gas bubbles.
   • Often, fake stones weigh noticeably less than their originals.

4. Determine whether your precious stone is composite. Composite stones include several different minerals. Such compound stones can be fully accurate from individual precious stones, but they often include synthetic materials.

   • To determine the place of the joint, lighten the stone with a small flashlight with a thin beam.
   • Take a look at the difference in the brilliance and color of various sites, adding attention to the presence of possible gluing places (filled with colorless glue).
   • Look too, whether the "Red Ring effect" is not observed. Turning the stone, look, whether the red ring is not visible around its outer surface. In the event of such a ring in front of you, most likely composite stone.

Part 2

1. Pay attention to the color of the stone. Often the color of the gemstone is the first key to the ridding of the type of stone. The concept of color of the stone can be divided into three components: actual color, tone and saturation.

   • When determining the color of the stone, do not lighten it additionally, if only the stone is not dark and you do not need to determine whether it has black, dark blue or other dark color.
   • The "color" of precious stones varies widely. Try to determine the color as accurate as possible. For example, if the stone is yellowish-green, so indicate, instead of characterizing it simply as "red". Specialists in mineralogy distinguish more than 30 colors of stones.
   • "Tone" indicates whether the color of the stone is dark, light or located in the middle.
   • "Saturation" characterizes color intensity. First, it should be determined whether the stone is warm (yellow, orange, red) or cold (purple, blue, green) color. In the case of warm color, check availability brown shades. For cold colors, the presence of gray shades is important. The more brown or gray shades are present in the stone, the less saturated color.

2. Pay attention to the transparency of the stone. Transparency characterizes the proportion of light passing through the stone. Stones are divided into transparent, translucent and opaque.

   • Through the transparent stones, the items located behind them are clearly visible (an example of such a stone is the diamond).
   • Through the translucent stone, you can also see the items behind it, but their outlines are blurred, and often the color of the image does not correspond to the original (for example, amethyst and aquamarine).
   • Through the opaque stone, objects located behind it are not visible (for example, opal).
3. • To evaluate the mass of the stone, place it on the palm and ask yourself the question, whether the stone weighs as much as one could expect when it is volume, or its mass is much different from your expectations.
   • Gemologists (specialists in precious stones) widely use weighing, and the determination of the density of stones is used everywhere when they are evaluating.
   • For example, Aquamarine is relatively easy, while similar to it is a blue topaz much more difficult. Similarly, the diamond is much easier than the externally similar to it cubic zirconium oxide obtained by artificially.

4. Inspect the stone slice. Although this method is unsafe and requires known skills, a number of precious stones can be split along certain planes. Often these planes can be determined by how the light falling onto the stone is refracted.

   • Most often, the precious stones have faceted flat edges, convex or rounded shape (in the absence of cut), type of chambers (engraving) or beads. These main types of cuts may include others on a smaller level.

Part 3.

1. Think whether destroying verification methods are acceptable. There are tests that you do not want if you want to keep the stone intact. Such tests are measuring hardness, friction and splitting.

   • Some stones have a greater hardness compared to others, and the hardness of minerals is usually measured on the Moos scale. Spend on the surface of your stone with various minerals attached to the set for measuring hardness. If scratch appeared on the stone, it means that he is softer than the relevant mineral. If the stone remained unharmed, its hardness is higher than the mineral used.
   • When testing friction, swipe on the surface of the ceramic tile. Then compare the track left by stone with the scale shown in the characteristics of the precious stones.
   • "Rask" means the splitting of the crystal on the part. If individual layers are located along the surface, ignore them and inspect the surface under them. In the case of their absence, it will have to hit the stone pretty much to split it. Check if the surface of the stone is an uneven, fragmentary, round or sink, step or grainy.

2. Explore the optical properties of the stone. Each type of precious stones are inherent in its optical characteristics. Depending on the stone, you will observe the characteristic overflows of color, asterism, the splitting of light on separate colors and so on.

   • Watch the light effects, translucent the stone with a flashlight with a thin beam.
   • Changing color when illuminated is one of the main methods for estimating the gems, so each stone must be subjected to this procedure. Trace the coloring of the stone under the natural light, the light of the incandescent lamp and fluorescent light.

3. Look at the brilliance of stone. The glitter characterizes the intensity of the light reflected by the surface of the stone. When checking the brilliance, direct the light on the most smooth edge of the stone.

   • Turn the stone so that the light reflects from its surface. After that, inspect the stone with the naked eye and with a ten-fold magnification.
   • Determine which view has a stone: dim, wax, metal, shining (like diamond), glass, turbid, brilliant.

4. See how the stone dissipates light. With scattering white light Stone splits it to spectral components (light various colors) As a result, the spectral decomposition of the ray of ordinary daylight is obtained. The intensity of such splitting depends on the type of gems.

   • Enlighten the gem with a thin lantern ray and follow the course of the light inside the stone. Determine whether the beam is cleaving is slightly, medium, strongly or very much on the spectral components.

5. Determine the refractive index. This can be done with a refractometer. With this instrument, you can measure the angle of refraction of light when it passes through the stone. Each gem is characterized by its refractive angle, so the definition of the value of this corner will allow you to find out exactly which stone in front of you.

   • Place a small drop of a special fluid on the metal surface of the refractometer near the rear of the semi-cylinder (the window on which the stone will be placed).
   • Put the stone with a flat surface with a drop of a special fluid and press it with your fingers towards the surface of the half-cylinder.
   • Look at the stone through the eyepiece without increasing. Continue to look until you see the outlines of the drop, then make the bottom surface of this drop in focus. Record the micrometer readings, rounded them to hundredths.
   • Take advantage of the magnifying lens for more accurate readings and round them up to thousandths.

6. Use double bulb. This method also allows you to evaluate the refractive index. With this test, the stone rotates six times in the refractometer, and changes are recorded in passing through it.

   • The scheme is the same as when determining the refractive index. However, instead of keeping a stone in a fixed position, rotate it 180 degrees with a step of 30 degrees. After each rotation of 30 degrees, measure the refractive index.
   • Delete the smallest refractive index value from the maximum, thus determining the indicator of a double beam bemprane, which is the characteristic of the optical anisotropy of the material. Round the result resulting to thousandths.

7. Trace for single and double refraction. Use this test for transparent and translucent stones. IN this case It is determined whether the crystal is a single-crushing or twofolder. Some stones represent the Conglomerate of the above crystals.

   • Light the light in Polarish and put the stone face to the lower glass lens (polarizer). Looking at the stone through the upper lens (analyzer), rotate it until the stone looks like the most dark. This is the starting position.
   • Turning the analyzer for 360 degrees, observe how the illumination of the stone changes.
   • If the stone, becoming dark, does not brighten, then it is a single-racing mineral. If the stone after the darkening is again brightened and vice versa, then it is most likely a double-reel. Finally, if the mineral remains light, it represents a conglomerate of such minerals.

• Before studying the gemstone, wipe its surface with a soft cloth. Take the segment of the fabric and, folding it fourly, put inside the stone. Lightly pull the stone through the cloth with your fingers, thus removing from its surface, the dirt, fingerprints, stains of fat.
• When working with a stone, use a tweezers so as not to stain the surface of the stone.

The popularity of precious I. semi-precious stones There is growing day by day, so it is not surprising that some sellers are trying to prove on it. Nowadays, the chance to buy a fake gem is just huge. But this can be avoided if you know that it is most often issued for precious crystals, and what properties are real stones.

Most often, oddly enough, you can meet precious stones among fakes, which, as we think is quite common. Among the champions in imitation can be called turquoise, grenades and lunar stone. We are accustomed to the fact that they are inexpensive and quite affordable, but it does not quite correspond to the truth. These gems are really not too rare, but they are not so cheap, as we used to think. Therefore, the first thing to pay attention to, buying decoration with one of these stones - the price.

How to recognize false turquoise

For example, the beads of natural turquoise can cost 20-30 dollars, since the price of this mineral even in one gram will be significantly higher. But, however, it is if we talk about the so-called. Precious turquoise, which is almost impossible to see for sale in modern products. Such turquoise is extremely sensitive. The mineral itself is porous enough, so it reacts quite poorly to excess moisture, lotions or creams. He also does not like very dry air and bright sun rays. In general, natural turquoise, though more durable pearls, but not too.

An even less resistant to external damage is a semi-precious turquoise. Its density is lower, and the color is less smooth than the precious. It is it that is more than 80% of the production of this mineral. In order to improve the color of turquoise and extend its life, it stabilize. Most often, impregnate with wax to enhance the brightness and strength of the stone.

The cheapest variety of natural turquoise is considered extruded. It is obtained from stone crumb mixed with resins and dye. Formally, such a stone can be considered natural, since it is made from the same mineral. Pressed turquoise is the most bright and stable. It is this gem that is most often found in modern decorations. But, despite the low cost of pressed variety, you still can meet many fakes on the market.

Turquoise mimic plastic, glass, ceramics and cheaper minerals. And if the glass is easy to recognize according to a characteristic ringing, and plastics, trying to pierce the stone with a hot needle, then with other imitation is somewhat more complicated.

It is worth paying attention to the size of the stone. A breed from a natural turquoise cannot be more than 5 millimeters. However, the pressed stone can have large sizes. Then you need to consider the holes in the stone (if it comes to beads). They should not be white from the inside. You can also try to scratch gem. If you do nothing - before you faience, glass or other more solid than turquoise mineral. If, on the contrary, the stone will damn it easily, but at the same time there will remain a whiten trail on the site, or the layer will be separated by a light powder - this is painted fake. If when you try to scratch a bead or cabochon, the chips will be formed - your "turquoise" from plastics. All these manipulations should be done from the wrong side of the stone.
Under the guise of turquoise, there are quite often painted govitis. In nature, this mineral grey colour. It is softer and easier turquoise, and also has a glassy glitter.

Signs of fake lunar stone

Lunar stone can be considered the leader in the number of fakes. In Russia, its less transparent variety is more common - a leather. Finding a genuine gem is much easier abroad than us. Most often, the moonstone is imitated using opal glass. It must be admitted that such imitation looks much more cute than a real gem. But if we are talking about how to determine the authenticity of the lunar stone, then everything that we need is attention. The structure of the natural mineral is such that, regardless of its color and the degree of transparency, overflow in it can only occur at a certain angle of view. Unlike imitation that can pour blue, even if you look at it at a right angle, a real legist has this property only if it is inclined at an angle of 15 degrees. Keep a stone in your hands and tilt it in different directions. If the glare and sweeps remain unchanged - before you fake.

There is another one interesting way Definition of the authenticity of the lunar stone. Lower the stone or the product with it for one hour into the water. With the fake, no metamorphosis will happen, but natural gem It will look much more beautiful and brighter than before diving.

Granat authentication

Grenades have always been considered with us quite affordable and cheap stones. But recently the situation has changed somewhat. Therefore, the number of fakes in the market is growing. Most often, this gem fake with glass. Therefore, it is easy to determine the authenticity of the pomegranate. Take with you to the shop glass and try to scratch it with the help of a gem that offers you. If a natural grenade - this procedure does not hurt him, but a trace should remain on the glass.

Czech grenades are considered rather popular in the world. They can be distinguished from others in color and size. A genuine Czech grenade cannot be larger than 8 millimeters. But most of these pebbles in products correspond to sizes 3-5 mm. The Czech grenade has a very beautiful purple-red color without a single hint of the Rye. Therefore, if under the guise of the Czech grenade you offer a stone with an orange tint or quite an impressive size, further tests do not make sense - you want to sell imitation.

The surest way to check the pomegranate is a magnet. For this you need: a saucer with water, a piece of foam, a magnet and an actual verification object. The product with a grenade or crystal itself must be put on a piece of foam flooding in a saucer. Then bring a magnet to the gem. Starting from the distance to the centimeter, the gem must begin to attract to the magnet if it is real.

Fake cat eye

In most souvenir stalls, it is this borosilicate glass.

Choice - for every taste and color!


In addition to glass, synthetic minerals are used to simulate a "cat's eye" - ketsight and islee.

In fact, the "feline eye" is not even a specific stone, but the name of the effect of irrigation, characteristic of some minerals. This optical effect really resembles the eye of the cat.
Natural "cat's eye" Chrysoberill (Tsimofan) is very expensive as diamonds and rubies. Naturally, in souvenir shops such stones are not sold. In the magical plan "Feline Eye" is considered a protective stone. No need to disappear due to its inaccessibility, because there are also other varieties of eye stones - a tiger, falcon and bullish eyes. They are not rare, it is inexpensive, so they are usually not faked them. Products out tiger eye There are almost all shops.

Natural "cat's eye" chrysoberyill

In glass " feline"There is nothing wrong - it's a beautiful, bright and inexpensive material for jewelry. But if the seller calls it natural, this is already a hoax. Although very often sellers in souvenir shops themselves do not understand their goods and sincerely believe in the naturalness of the glass. Yes, what to say, If it seemed serious encyclopedias on minerals, fakes are used as illustrations. This is what the savings of publishers in copywriters and laziness of the copyrights themselves, who do not know how to use Google normally.

Such glittering gold-painted beads are usually sold under the guise of Aventurine. This is not a mineral, but a special adventuric glass with a crumb of copper oxide, cobalt, iron or chromium.

"The modern glass industry has many compounds of adventuric glasses obtained in for different years in different countries. Adventure glasses with shiny inclusions containing silicon oxides, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, chromium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, titanium, nickel, silicon (SiO2, Al2O3, Cao, MGO, MNO, FE2O3, CR2O3, P2O5 , Na2O) and others. As we see. A significant part of the periodic system of elements is proactive. The disadvantages of such glass compositions are heat Glass masses cooking (up to 1430-1460) and low hardness of the obtained glass (650-730 kg / mm2). This leads to a high cost of products from adventuric glass due to large energy consumption and reduces their consumer properties, since the polished surface of glass with low hardness quickly loses its quality due to abrasion.

Now in front of the technologists and chemists of this industry there is a task of obtaining adventuric glass of high microhardness and mechanical strength, expanding its decorative properties, as well as a decrease in the cost of the process and composition through the use of cheaper raw materials. This is the requirement of modern design art and increased industrial opportunities. Therefore, scientific institutions together with the factories are developed in the direction of cheapening of adventuric glasses, and one of the options is to use raw materials with a content of up to 60% of the slag. The test of adventuric glass based on high-dry slags is underway. Along with good decorative properties, it has improved physicochemical properties: increased microhardness and alkali resistance, softening temperature of approximately 650 ° C, and refractive index to 1,596 units.

In recent years, our scientist managed to get glass alloys of high hardness and improved strength characteristics by introducing boron oxides, expansion color Gamma., strengthening the adventuric effect by introducing oxides of copper, chromium, titanium, calcium and other different metals .. The greater achievements in the invention of adventuric alloys belong to the scientists of the State Research and Research Institute of Nitric Industry and Organic Synthesis Products, a decent contribution is made by the inventor A.V. . Kozhanova from Lipetsk and many other scientists. These inventions are worldwide and protected by patents.

The technology of obtaining such glasses is quite complex. First, the prepared mixture is melted in high power furnaces at 1350-1400 ° C for about an hour, then the temperature is somewhat slightly, and annealing is carried out after a short exposure at 750 ° C. To obtain glass, products of enrichment of apatito-nepheline ores and field-living mineral raw materials are used in composition with granular domain and converter, ferrochromic slags, selecting them in accordance with the required ratio of components. To increase the strength and stability of the composition, boron oxides (B2O3) are administered, lanthana oxides, cesium, samarium, etc. (LA2O3, CEO2, SM2O3) are added to expand the color gamut, titanium oxides, potassium and copper (TiO2, K2O, Cu2o). Contact Mixed areas in all the colors of the rainbow, which is fixed on the glasses in the form of frozen multicolored patterns with sequins of chromium crystals, manganese and copper (CR2O3, MNO, CU2O). The glass has a hardness of 850-880 kg / mm2, opaque, its surface drawdhanded, And in the mass - golden, pink, green sequins of 0.5 to 2.0 μm in size. "Link

Most often in the shops are for sale Avnaturin glass of brick colors, but it also happens blue, black, green ...

But this is what the real adventurine looks like

Natural Aventurine is a type of quartz, there really have small sparkles - inclusions of lamellar or scaly minerals (green sliding-fuchsite, cherry-red hematite, etc.), which cause the flickering of the stone when it turns. In an adventuric glass of gloves, they are the same, while in the stone glitter is usually small, they are different racial and brightness. Aventurine is inexpensive, so it makes sense to search real in specialized stores. In simple souvenir shops there are only glass.

Lunar Stone - Matte Glass

Beautiful, right? But it is just a glass that our souvenir shops are clogged.

In it really is something moon ...

"Lunar Stone" - folk, not a mineralogical name. The "lunar stone" is called the Mineral Adyur, as well as sometimes a homemade and labrodoritis ("Dark Moon").

So looks natural good quality Adural

Unlike the real "lunar stone" Adulara, the "lunar glass" is uniform painting and does not have an irrigation effect.

Moon rock

Berman - opaque "Moonstone", produced in Russia

Labradorite - "Dark Moon"

More and more jewelry stores There are fakes and low quality goods. On the shelves stores there are decorations with precious and synthetic inserts. Sometimes the buyer is deceived, and instead of gem he gets imitation. The topic of artificial minerals worries the entire jewelry world. Even a hemologist will not be visually with a magnifying glass to distinguish all products. How to know a gem without special education?

Artificial stones are:

• synthetic;
• refined;
• imitation.

Only in the laboratory you can distinguish a synthetic crystal from natural. The composition and structure of minerals are identical. The main physical properties of analogs are close to natural.

Hemologists also determine the refined crystals that pass the following processing:

• staining (staining);
• wAITING (WAXING / OILING);
• coating (coating);
• heating (heating);
• filling (Filling);
• irradiation (IRRADIATION);
• whitening.

These data must be specified in the certificate that is attached to the stone. In some stores, information does not communicate to the client. The buyer can acquire a refined rubin, the cost of which is $ 5 CT at a price of natural - $ 10,000 CT. The consumer can go to court, and such a transaction is regarded as fraud.

The jewelry confederation has developed a document for trade organizations. According to the prescription, it is necessary to use special terminology adopted worldwide . How to find out a gem or not? Such information can be obtained from the certificate.

In the civilized world, precious minerals sell only with a certificate. You can contact the laboratory to confirm the document.

The most prestigious logo on jewelry - Gübelin. Swiss brand produces the decoration of the highest quality.

In jewelry stores, a certificate is issued for each stone. The document indicates:

• the size;
• color;
• proportions;
• purity;
• defects;
• method of cut;
• place of mining.

In stores assure the buyer that all products are tested for compliance. How to determine real Stone Or not, standing at the showcase? All grown minerals are ideal.

How to determine the real stone yourself?

Exist simple ways Imitation definitions:

• warm;
• aurally;
• by weight;
• nail.

Mineral must be in hand and hold. Natural material Cold and heavy. All minerals have inclusions. The product is considered with different lighting. To do this, use a magnifying glass, choosing a model with an increase in 10 times. When examining the crystal move up-down to get a clear image at a depth.

Gem can be wiped with a wet cloth. If the fabric remains the trail, do not buy the decoration.

The purity and ideality of the stone is a sign of fake. Before buying a gem should examine such information:

• shades of crystal;
• methods of cut;
• place of Birth.

The synthetic crystal is determined using an ultraviolet lantern. If the stone has a bright glow, then it is synthesized.

Natural stone scratches glass. There are methods and signs for which the authenticity of the crystal is determined.

Corundum

The physical properties of corundes of natural and synthetic are close. To recognize natural and synthetic rubies, sapphires is important to have inclusions, cracks. How to determine the stone or glass in front of you? For this purpose, a strong magnifying glass is used.

Natural rubies contain rutile. Peculiarity of natural ruby \u200b\u200b- spotted coloring. Natural sapphires contain gas-binding. Sign of their naturalness - zonal color.

Features of synthetic corundum:

1. Gas inclusions of different sizes and shapes.
2. Curved color distribution.

Natural sapphire in color resembles velvet. The fake from the spinel will be darker. If on the natural sapphire to send a beam, it will be in the form of a six-pointed star. Natural sapphire can not scratch the nail or knife.

Emerald

If the natural crystal is to consider in a magnifying glass, you can see cracks with gas-liquid inclusions. Sometimes there are air bubbles in the fake.

The synthetic emerald can be checked by sending an ultraviolet flashlight on it. If the stone is luminescent with an unnatural color, it is synthetic. Natural has a reddish-brown shade under ultraviolet. This method is not accurate. Emerald Colombian will not change its coloring.

How to determine natural stone or artificial? The natural mineral has clear edges, and the synthetic they are erased. Artificial crystal - with a yellowish tide.

Smaller emeralds glue one product. For fakes use other crystals. So get large samples, gluing a small emerald with a synthetic spinel, beryl, quartz.

Quality emerald has a rich color. By the nature of the inclusions, the hemologist defines the stone deposit. Emeralds from Colombia tinted. Check it possible at home. Mineral is placed in water with a washing powder.

Amber

There are several ways to determine the authenticity of amber:

1. Natural amber will always swim on the surface of the saline (4 tablespoons on a glass of water).
2. Attach a hot needle to Amber. Waves resin - natural stone, plastic - fake.
3. If the amber is lost natural fabrics, He is electrified. Sliced \u200b\u200bpaper will be attracted to the stone.

For research use ultraviolet filter. Transparent amber will be luminescent blue and green. An opaque copy gives a milk shade, and untreated - brown.

Pearl

Natural education extracted from shells, heavier fake. Pearls have an uneven surface, and imitation is smooth. If two pearls lose each other, they cling.

One of the most reliable ways is to spend the pearl of the teeth. Natural stone creaks. If Pearl drop to the floor, it will bounce. Natural pearls can be scratched, and the trace will not remain. The price of natural, cultivated and imitation is different.

What stones imitate?

For fake jewelry, glass and plastics are often used. With the help of these materials, they mimic such stones: carnelian, chrysoprase, turquoise, and so on. For fake, the ruby \u200b\u200buses spinel and glass.

Apply also glued swelling. Stones are combined with glass. How to distinguish a gem from glass? Fake is easy to recognize with a magnifying glass. Bubbles will be located in the gluing place.

To simulate precious minerals use:

1. Natural minerals of lower quality.
2. Synthetic stones.
3. Glass.
4. Plastic.
5. Compressed crystals.
6. Composite stones (doublet, triplet).

Determine the authenticity of the decoration without special knowledge is difficult. When buying a gemstone, a jeweler is better to refer to the appraiser.

Assessment of the quality of minerals

Gemological examination is a study of the authenticity of stones. Quality control of products is as follows. The first assessment is visual. The hemologist considers the mineral with a magnifying glass. At the same time, the inspection is selected by marriage:

• chips;
• scratches;
• waste.

There are characteristic inclusions for each mineral. The hemologist sends the product to additional research if found signs:

• uneven coloring;
• bubbles.

In the expertise and evaluation centers use such devices:

1. Refractometer.
2. Polariscope.
3. Chelsea filter.
4. Jim tester.

Using the polariskop, the sample population is determined. The hemologist will immediately be able to install, glass or mineral.

Refractometer measures the refractive amount, which is different for each material. An immersion fluid is used to study. Using pipettes, they apply a few drops and closed with protective glass. The readings are removed after 30 seconds. After that, compared with the data of the table and determine which mineral brought to the assessment.

How to distinguish a natural stone from artificial? Chelsea filter helps to establish the origin of emeralds, sapphires and rubies. Some hemologists believe that the device lost its relevance. Synthetic emeralds are difficult to distinguish even with the help of equipment.

The Jim tester measures the thermal conductivity of the mineral.

In the laboratory define:

• authenticity;
• origin;
• the presence of refinement.

The principle of assessing the stone was called "Rule 4 C". These are such criteria as weight, color, cleanliness and quality.

Synthetic stones

Analogues are created specifically for jewelry, while the price of products is below. Synthesized minerals have:

• maximum purity;
• high optical properties;
• color saturation.

In addition to analogs that have similar properties, scientists have created and artificial stones - Fianitsa and others.

The production of synthetic products is growing, and technologies are improved. The buyer has the right to choose. Some want to have unique stones, others are only interested in external beauty. The consumer wants to get the product that is indicated on the tag.